From the darkest brown to the pastiest white and every shade in between, humans display a tremendous variety of skin colors. Human skin color is directly linked to our survival as a species as we lost our fur and developed a need for protection from the sun, and then migrated into cloudier regions of the globe. Over the course of evolution, scientists argue, skin color was influenced, among other factors, by our need for healthy bones.

To begin to explain this, we turn to Nina Jablonski, professor of anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. She is a well-recognized researcher in primate evolution, and specifically the evolution of human skin, and she was the subject of a Science Seat on CNN Light Years.

The story of human skin color begins with our furry ancestors about 6 to 7 million years ago in Africa, the last time that humans and chimpanzees shared an ancestor. Jablonski says that these ancestors, called Australopithecus, still had ape-like body proportions: fairly long arms and relatively short legs.

“When we look at their skeletons in detail, it’s pretty clear that they were not active runners,” she said. “They could walk on two legs but they weren’t running or striding purposefully across the savannah most of the time, they were sort of living lives that are much like those of chimpanzees: fairly close to the edge of the forest, sometimes going into trees for protection, and then walking for short distances in the open to forage.”

By about 1.2 million years ago, humans ancestors had lost their fur and were able to sweat more efficiently to avoid overheating. The fossil record shows this in the species Homo ergaster, for example. During this time, individuals began to walk across the hot savannah, so there was a need for more internal body heat regulation.

Without fur, however, our skin was exposed to the strong equatorial sun. The skin pigment melanin, which is responsible for most of the color of our skin, is a terrific sunscreen. Darkly pigmented skin became a substitute for fur.

But as our ancestors migrated away from the Earth’s equator, which has lots of UV exposure, it became less and less beneficial for those populations to have so much pigmentation as protection from the sun. Why? For answers, we must look at vitamin D.

“Vitamin D is produced at high levels in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun,” says Dr. Michael Holick, a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University Medical Center. He is a leader in vitamin D nutrition, and among countless other works, published the book “The Vitamin D Solution.”
According to Holick, back in the 1930s to 1950s, it was thought that the main reason for skin pigmentation was to prevent having too much vitamin D being produced in the skin. Too much vitamin D leads to vitamin D intoxication, which can result in death. However, in the early 1980s, Holick and his colleagues published a paper that disproved that theory.

“It turns out that Mother Nature was quite clever, in that any excessive exposure to sunlight destroys any excess vitamin D produced in the skin,” Holick explained.

Vitamin D is produced in skin that’s exposed to the sun, and it’s involved in helping the intestines absorb calcium, which is a critical nutrient in our bones. However, heavily pigmented skin reduces a person’s ability to produce vitamin D in the skin “probably by 90-95%,” according to Holick, meaning they were more likely to be deficient in the vitamin.

As our ancestors migrated to areas away from the equator, with lower UV radiation, pigmentation became a problem. For example, Holick explained, a person from Africa who is very darkly pigmented has a sun protection factor of around 30. That person would have to be out in the sun at least 10 to 15 times longer to produce the same amount of vitamin D as a lightly-pigmented person from Europe.

Vitamin D is critical for healthy bones, which have always been essential to human survival. Not only are healthy bones important to movement and holding our bodies upright, but they are essential for reproduction. A pregnant mother who is vitamin D deficient can have a baby born with infantile rickets syndrome, a disease that leads to severe bone abnormalities. If the mother remains vitamin D deficient, she is also calcium-deficient. If breast milk is the main food source for the infant, the infant will not receive enough calcium to build healthy bones.

The female infant "will have a flat, deformed pelvis with a small pelvic outlet, making child delivery impossible,” Holick said.

While rickets may not have affected male reproductive abilities as much, it would have given them weaker, more brittle bones, increasing their risk of fracture, and therefore affecting their ability to survive.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a host of other health problems, such as preeclampsia, asthma, upper respiratory infections in children, and even multiple sclerosis, Holick said. This is because of the vitamin’s role in immune function, as it is thought to decrease risk of developing autoimmune diseases.

On the other hand, scientists know that too much sun can deplete a person’s reserve of folate, a B-vitamin that is necessary for cell division and repair and known to reduce risk of fetal birth defects. A big source of folate comes from leafy green vegetables, but Holick argues that our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten plenty of those. Today, many people do not eat enough of them.

So how much sun do modern humans actually need? Dr. Holick says that it’s not possible to give an absolute recommendation because of the time of day, latitude and skin pigmentation, which all influence vitamin D production.

“For example, a lightly pigmented person in Boston in June at noontime, 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM on arms, legs and abdomen and back when appropriate 2 to 3 times a week is usually sufficient,” Holick said.

Now that most humans in modern society spend most of their days indoors, away from sunlight, you might assume that humans will eventually become homogeneous in terms of skin color and may lose darker pigmentation.

But Jablonski offers a different explanation for why human skin color will become more homogenous:

“Because of human migrations, especially in the world’s largest cities, skin color will become somewhat more homogeneous because of increased admixture of people, while depopulated rural areas will tend to remain much as they are.”

She emphasizes that that increased color homogeneity will result as a product of the intermingling of populations, not natural selection.

“There is no significant evolution acting on people who are either ‘too light’ or ‘too dark’ for their solar conditions because we have layers of protection in the form of complex culture, like buildings, clothing and diet,” she asserted.

Any city-dwelling person, regardless of skin color, can become vitamin D deficient if he or she doesn’t receive enough sun exposure. As Jablonski explained, just as lighter-skinned people are more likely to suffer from sunburn and therefore skin cancer, darker-skinned people experience more vitamin D deficiency because short periods of outdoor exposure aren’t sufficient to allow them to produce enough vitamin D in the skin.

I have a question for the Creationists, not directly connected to this article. If everything was created only 6000 years ago, why do we see objects in the sky that are more than 6000 light years away. This means that the light from these objects has been travelling towards us since before the universe began and there the objects themselves were in existence BEFORE the Universe began. There are two possible explanations for this which will still comply with your belief that everything began 6000 years ago. The first is that nothing is this far away and the scientists have simply measured the distances incorrectly. The second is that when the Universe was created it was made to LOOK as though it had been around for a lot longer.
Which one is it?

May 4, 2013 at 7:44 pm |

Jamie Mosley

gelli
I have a question for the Creationists, not directly connected to this article. If everything was created only 6000 years ago, why do we see objects in the sky that are more than 6000 light years away. This means that the light from these objects has been travelling towards us since before the universe began and there the objects themselves were in existence BEFORE the Universe began. There are two possible explanations for this which will still comply with your belief that everything began 6000 years ago. The first is that nothing is this far away and the scientists have simply measured the distances incorrectly. The second is that when the Universe was created it was made to LOOK as though it had been around for a lot longer.
Which one is it?

I am studying to be an elder in the United Methodist Church. I feel rare as I do believe in evolution and do not believe it devalues creation at all. Why can't a creator push our species from a common ancestor that made us unique and built in his image. I argued this same point you have made once to a friend who used a psalm which was used in context to show the beauty of God. The verse said something along the lines of "he stretched the heavens." believing God must have stretched light which in my opinion was not what it meant. Someone else mention wormholes that would make light access us from different points in space and making the distance shorter.

a very interesting thought I believe is Genesis 1: 7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

Why couldn't the dust that is mention be meaning to the evolution process that God took a single cell organism evolved it over millions of years eventually splitting it from other creations and making us! Beings of intellect and creativity, beings who are similar to him! We are able to love,build, and change the world around us.

May 4, 2013 at 8:04 pm |

MennoKnight

The vast majority of seminaries that train pastors DO NOT teach nor believe the world is only 6000 years old.
This is a minority held belief.

May 4, 2013 at 8:15 pm |

Matthew

I'm a Creationist because I believe what the Bible says. However, the Bible doesn't say how old the earth is. It simply tells us that "in the beginning" God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:2 tells us that before the Creation story that starts in verse 3, the earth was already there because the earth was without form and void. In Genesis 1:28, God told Adam and Eve to replenish the earth. It's impossible to replenish something that has just been created. We can tell from the Bible how old Adam and Eve are but we cannot tell how old the earth is or any other living things that may have been here before Adam and Eve.

May 4, 2013 at 8:30 pm |

Loopy

Do you read and believe the book on which you faith is based, or is it a loose collection of guidelines to you? If it is true, it claims that you are made by hand, by God. If that's true, then you can't have evolved. It sounds like you've signed up for a gig you can't actually play.

As someone else already pointed out, the bible says God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was void and without form. It doesn't say how 'old' the earth is. I believe that God created the earth, and everthing in it. I believe that humans were created in Gods image, and that we have been a separate species from apes from the begining. I also believe that God gave His creations the ability to adapt, and yes , evolve in order to survive.

May 4, 2013 at 9:18 pm |

Jamie Mosley

MennoKnight
The vast majority of seminaries that train pastors DO NOT teach nor believe the world is only 6000 years old.
This is a minority held belief.

O good! I do my classes online at the moment, but in my home town it seems they want to believe in the 6000 years. I actually think we have written history over 6000 years old right? maybe I am wrong on that though I never was good at history!

May 4, 2013 at 9:27 pm |

anti 0=mc2-E

it may appear that evolution is the fact that some would obliterate with baseless dogma.

But my guess is that the "real-righting" to-bring-back-the-good-old-days is to make the physical universe revolve around some spot on planet earth.

May 4, 2013 at 11:34 pm |

ed dugan

My word, a christian that actually thinks! You had better watch out or they will drum out of the church. When you start relying on that peice of christian fiction called the bible you will have taken a giant step toward thinking for yourself and that, my friend, is forbidden in the cult of christianity! However, we athiests will leave room in our crowd for you.

May 5, 2013 at 9:52 am |

MennoKnight

Matthew, this sums up pretty much what any biblical scholar will teach you in any major seminary in North America today.
Jamie Mosley, Matthew above sums it up very well.
Ed,
Some of the greatest living scientists of this age (Francis Collins) are strong born again Christians and they are embraced by both science and faith. The Vatican has a world class astronomy center in Arizona that teaches on creation and the big bang and the evolution of the universe.

May 5, 2013 at 11:06 am |

ccle

because the bible does not say a couple of millions years, it says god created man in one day, and if one day to god is a million years then he should have said that , if your god is so infallable, why would he confuse his creation man, with a book that condradicts how long it took him to make the final products, thats like saying man i cook these cookies just for you and then you go in the kitchen and find the cookie box from the bakery, you start to think why would this person tell me a fib like that just serve the cookies say they are good and see if I enjoy them, if they are good i don't care if they are homebaked or store bought, if it took 1 million years to create us or more then say so don't say i created you in one day hell i created all of this in 7 days which we all know is not true,

May 5, 2013 at 11:21 am |

Paul

Because if Everything started from one point and went out there from, the light we are seeing from those distant stars was once very close! Next question!

May 4, 2013 at 8:15 pm |

syz

It has no proof. God can make anything appearing as he wishes.

May 4, 2013 at 8:24 pm |

gelli

I'm not sure I understand you here Paul. I am not talking about the Big Bang here, which appears to have happened 13.7 Billion years ago, but the simple fact that we can see objects in space that we can accurately measure to be say 10000 light years away. This means that we can actually see them as they were 10000 years ago, which is 4000 years before some fundamentalists believe the universe was created. It does not matter if they were closer to us at one point as we are now seeing them as they were 10000 years ago.
I do realise that as many of you have said, the view that everything is only 6000 years old, is a very small minority view. Personally, I have no problem with any belief on the Universe or Evolution as long as it does not attempt to nullify the facts. As a result I have no problem with the Universe being created to look a certain way, to fit in with th scientific evidence.

May 4, 2013 at 11:08 pm |

syz

How do you know the things that you are observing are true? How do you know God didn't want us to look the things the way we see it? God can make anything appear as new as it was born yesterday or as old as it was born 13.7 billion years ago.

And this boys and girls, is the reason why we need you to study in school and learn about science.

Otherwise you'll be condemned to spouting misguided nonsense and live in baseless fear for the rest of your lives.

May 4, 2013 at 7:44 pm |

anti 0=mc2-E

10!

May 4, 2013 at 11:35 pm |

Jesus

Dad killed me for these twits?

May 4, 2013 at 7:41 pm |

Bringeroflight

Afraid so. Hey, let's really screw with them and talk about how there's a duality of good and evil and both are embodied in the form of deities.

May 4, 2013 at 8:02 pm |

CeltricNight7

I LOOK SO MUCH LIKE THAT APE, NO WONDER NO OTHER APE WANTS ME.

May 4, 2013 at 7:40 pm |

Just Me

WORKED FOR YOUR MOM

May 4, 2013 at 7:43 pm |

Andyx3s

Please, keep your daughter in your church so she can marry someone like you. I imagine you don't have a job that pays beyond 30 dollars an hour which proves my point that your not capable of getting good grades in a University. The children of Scientist will marry others whose I.Q. are as high as them or even higher, and in the end your grandchildren will become as apes when observing those that will become like Gods.

i have a college degree, make a 6 figure salary and I am a Christian. Being a Christian is more important then making a lot of money or obtaining a college degree. Being a Christian is the part of me that makes me successful at work and home. I am a better coworker, mother, wife, and friend because of it.

May 4, 2013 at 8:12 pm |

Andyx3s

DB, yes I am a monkey, but a highly evolved one. I can reason and understand math, language, science, art, and logic unlike my primitive ancestors. I don't doubt that you have a college degree, but having a college degree doesn't mean you have genetic materials that help you to see reality. Some people who are mental patients keep loosing their sense of reality because there is some chemical imbalance in their minds. If you don't believe in evolution then you are missing a key component in your genes that doesn't allow you to discover things or it doesn't allow you to solve complex problems like Einstein. If your just joking with me because you feel sorry for others then I can clearly say your very intelligent and your mind is complete.

May 4, 2013 at 9:11 pm |

somnief

DB, "Being a Christian is the part of me that makes me successful at work and home. I am a better coworker, mother, wife, and friend because of it."

And for this I feel sorry for you. Do you not think it more pure if you were able to be the best of those things (coworker,mother,wife,friend) knowing that you can do whatever you want on earth, and when your life is over there are no eternal consequences? True freedom is very refreshing and I believe allows people to be the best they can. You can be better than needing religion. Have a pleasant evening.

May 4, 2013 at 11:41 pm |

JG

Its obvious this article hit the nerve of many people. Maybe some don't want to hear the truth about their bloodline, so they will bash the article to hold on to the lies they believe they should hold on to. If there was an Adam and Eve, face it we are from the same dark seed.

Wow! You do sound angry ... Angry hypocrite, not Christian .. Much like conservatives and faux news people

May 4, 2013 at 7:40 pm |

PJ Demo

Sorry berticode, but it has been proven that the angry ones are liberals, not conservatives. Nice try.

May 4, 2013 at 7:56 pm |

Andyx3s

If Christians were born sinners that's fine they should volunteer to lock themselves up in prison for being born guilty. Me, I would rather remain free as an intellect.

May 4, 2013 at 7:43 pm |

Nicodemus Grumpschmidt

No, we are born atheists. How do I know this? Because it takes a society that conjured up this mythology to tell us that this god exists. If it were otherwise, we'd be born with the knowledge that this god exists. After all, if he is so benevolent, loving, compassionate, and in other ways far-out and funky, why doesn't he show his face (if he has one) to us at the moment we first see our mother's face? It IS our current mythology that will, with the passage of time, go the way of the Greek, Roman, and Norse gods. Maybe not in our lifetime, but mark my words. It will happen.

May 4, 2013 at 7:45 pm |

Kevin

Hey, that's Donald Trump's picture.

May 4, 2013 at 7:38 pm |

Kevin

Got to you didnt I! STOP USING MY NAME Boyger!

May 4, 2013 at 7:45 pm |

CeltricNight7

I AM GLAD TO BE PART OF THE ATHEISTS STUPID CLOSED MINDED GROUP WHERE I CAN ACT LIKE AN APE AND HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER MY OWN ACTIONS.

May 4, 2013 at 7:38 pm |

Just Me

CLOSED MINDED? WHO BELIEVES A BOOK THAT CANNOT BE AUTHENTICATED AND IS A COMPLETE FARCE?

May 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

shamgar50

Atheists are very open minded. That's why we're atheists. One thing YOUR type doesn't understand is, that most atheists were believers FIRST! Unlike you, we kept an open mind, and learned the truth.

May 4, 2013 at 7:47 pm |

Colonelingus

Bingo.

May 4, 2013 at 8:19 pm |

allah316

So what is truth. And within the context of your answer please explain how you are open-minded when it comes to believers of different faiths. Or is your faith the only true one?

May 4, 2013 at 8:48 pm |

think.for.yourself

Ayn Rand and other Objectivists would state that we still have free will, and yet still declare to be an atheist. Even if you wouldn't/don't agree with Objectivism, the following is something to chew on: Self-responsibility without God can still make sense.

May 5, 2013 at 4:07 pm |

kabs kubs

When you're an Atheist,you can no longer ascribe your mistakes as part of devils machination in order to waylay your faith in God.You no longer have the option of chalking any irresponsible acts as something that Satan or the malevolent spirits made you do.You are held morally answerable to your own action as Jesus's forgiveness is no longer an out for you.Hence,Atheism requires that an individual must be morally strong and intellectually complete.And I dare say,you're on a very long way from becoming one my friend.

May 5, 2013 at 10:21 pm |

KEVIN

I'm as white as they come with freckles all over my body. Explain that Mrs. super special brilliant anthropologist

May 4, 2013 at 7:37 pm |

Kevin

U cant handle the truth!

May 4, 2013 at 7:48 pm |

Kevin

Liberal Playbook – Play 1- White guy bad!

May 4, 2013 at 7:52 pm |

Just Me

I WORSHIP JESUS SO I CAN JUSTIFY RAPING LITTLE BOYS

May 4, 2013 at 7:37 pm |

Andyx3s

I knew you were joking because you sounded too stupid to be human. Catholic priest rape boys because they are stupid and they subject themselves to celibacy if their biology demands they breed. They turn their uncontrollable desires towards the male gender believing that God will not punish them as harshly. Another reason a person with a low I.Q. might become a priest is because they might believe the employment opportunities are great.

May 4, 2013 at 7:58 pm |

CeltricNight7

I AM A MONKEY, THINK LIKE A MONKEY, EAT LIKE A MONKEY, AND BANG LIKE A MONKEY.

Monkeys look more white with those thin lips and small nose. Like that missing woman found pic. But then some whites look like pigs too.. Lmao

May 4, 2013 at 7:42 pm |

shamgar50

He's be twice the man you are!

May 4, 2013 at 7:49 pm |

Just Me

WHY WOULD ANYONE BELIEVE A 2000 YEAR OLD COMIC BOOK?

May 4, 2013 at 7:36 pm |

Jackie O.

well it does have some important life lessons....like these for example...

Exodus 21:20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.

34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Leviticus 25:44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

May 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

Jeremy

The reason that many of you can't understand evolution is because you have never taken genetics...Or you didn't pay attention when you did...Seriously, if you understood a little bit about transcription,translation, & protein synthesis, evolution would not be that difficult to comprehend. I'm not writing off the possibility of a creator, but to completely write off evolution is nonsense...better yet, ignorance.

May 4, 2013 at 7:36 pm |

Just Me

I'm sorry for posting all this crap, but I really am a bark chomping moron.

Funny how the more we unlock the evolutionary code, the less evidence based and more name calling the Religious become.

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

anti 0=mc2-E

don't mess with their monopoly of the physical universe.

May 4, 2013 at 11:41 pm |

jo2501

The evolutionists laugh at the creationists for their belief in God and intelligent design. And granted, we can clearly see evolution has taken place with many species. What is also funny is that the evolutionists would never believe that one race is more evolved than another because they cling to the political correctness religion - despite the evidence.

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

shamgar50

Don't know anything about evolutionists, do you genius?

May 4, 2013 at 7:53 pm |

anti 0=mc2-E

it is not about laughing.

It is about having no facts, to back up in-your-face physical reality, being passed off as critical thinking, that makes it shocking and not a laughing matter.

Further amplified, from a country that has nuclear weapons, making ignorant comments like US House Representative Broun MD. Got to wonder what kind of nut job medical school passed this fool onto the public.

May 4, 2013 at 11:49 pm |

Just Me

THE BIBLE IS A JOKE!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

Just Me

ATHEISTS APES SHOULD BE PUT BACK IN THEIR CAGES LIKE ANIMALS. THEY ARE DANGEROUS TO OUR SOCIETY AND DON'T BELONG ON EARTH.

How did Noah go from the middle east to northern China for a Great Ape, Australia for a Platypus, Arizona for a Diamondback Rattle snake and back to the Middle East? He also would have done that before the Ark was finished? If he did that before the Ark than why did he need an Ark? Oh and that is just three Animals. The San Diego zoo only has what .00001% of the animals on the planet and it is 100X bigger than what Noah could have built? See where I am going with this? SO now you say "it is not to be taken literal". Then I say how do you know what parts are literal? Maybe the whole Jesus part is not to be taken literal? Ya, and since I have been to the Middle East, Italy and been in places like Jerusalem, Mother Mary's home, etc. I found that Jesus was as common as the name Bob. Christ was also as common as Smith. Wouldn't that open all the "Jesus" stories to more than one person? Dates? Funny how Jesus B-date is shared with a large number of pre-christian God and Demi-Gods. The number of the Beast is 666 and so was Cesar Nero who was known as the Dark one or a more direct name would be the Devil. But he was before Bible.
These are just a few fun facts that make the Bible a big A$$ Question Mark. See how I am not name calling but giving facts or posing questions. That is what Educated people do. They ask questions, compare and either validate or dismiss. If you want to be a Christian, that is fine but if you want to say that others are incorrect, I suggest you pose why and not just say lock them up in cage.
Back to Noah for a second. Who repopulated the Earth? Noah's family? I thought hooking up with your family was frowned upon in the Bible? Let's say God said it was fine just this once. Doesn't that make all of us relatives? Doesn't that make us all the same? So how are people different color, different eye, ear and nose, shapes? Wouldn't those differences support Evolution since by your own Bible all died but one family and they repopulated the world but now people are different color, shapes and sizes? That is the definition of Evolution. Now if you are a Racist on top of that, double trouble for you. Your bible clearly says you are all the same from that point on. If that is true we are all related. So "Pure Blood" doesn't exist.
Things that make you go hummmm. Next week we will discuss Dinosaurs!
Sorry for the questions. I'll go back to my cage now.

The bible says God sent the animals to Noah, and it took a LONG time to build the ark. While he was building it he was telling the people that God was going to destroy the earth with a flood. Since it had never rained they thought he was as crazy as the guy standing on the corner with the 'end of times' sign around his neck. The ark has been found, on the top of a mountian, encased in ice. So it IS real. As far as repopulating the earth...I have no idea. I'm sure Noah's family helped out. God created people before in the form of Adam and Eve, which were the FIRST people he created, the bible does not say they were the 'last' or the 'only'. So there's an idea. Oh, and no need for a cage, God gave humans freewill, that's what makes us special among His creations. It is your God given right to reject Him. If you have heard His word and refuse His gift that is up to you, but know that one day we WILL all kneel before Him and be judged. Choose wisely, for no man should have to hear "depart from me, for I know you not."

The lack of understanding of basic science concepts in these posts is frightening. Evolution is considered a scientific fact, which means that all known evidence supports it. Scientific fact can change if the evidence supports another theory. The biggest mistake science made about evolution is to state that humans evolved from monkeys because people who apparently are uneducated think a chimp can turn into a person. This will not happen. Millions of years ago, we had common ancestors. There have been many species of monkeys and human-like animals between that ancestor and our current forms.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Andyx3s

I can tell your brain structure is highly evolved like Eisenstein. Just me, scares me, his behavior is equal to that of a raging chimp, I guess he is not as evolved as us. I hope he keeps his daughter away from our kids who are studying in the Universities. He will definitely pollute the gene pool and ruin our grandchildren who need every ounce of genius they can get to stay ahead of evolving technologies.

May 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

Ric B

@Francis – you are absolute correct - the people who argue against the science facts that comprise the theory of evolution must be living in the woods in rural Missouri and get their science educations from Sunday school. They are functionally no different than the Taliban. They propose wiping every person from the earth that does not believe in their fairy tale and ghost stories. They advocate for a system of disinformation and brainwashing for their children and ours emphasizing false history and fake science. These people – left to their own devices – would take over the country and put us all back in the slave bonds of perverse religion – where people symbolically eat the flesh and drink the blood of a jewish zombie believing that if they telepathically accept him as their master that he will allow them to live forever in paradise by removing an evil force from our souls put their because a talking snake told a ribless women to eat fruit from a magical tree!!

May 5, 2013 at 6:29 pm |

John P. Tarver

Evolution as a means to species was never a theory under the scientific method.

May 5, 2013 at 7:46 pm |

Timothy

I see no difference between those who believe in science and those who believe in religion. It all boils down to be an argument of faith. Each side must have faith to believe because neither side has absolute proof. The only difference I see between the two is the search. One determines the search is complete and the other still looks. But faith...it is all about faith and neither side has the lock on faith.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Scott

Science takes nothing on faith. Everything must be tested, proven, and peer reviewed.

May 4, 2013 at 7:36 pm |

Bostontola

Tim,
Faith didn't create the airplane, antibiotics, mass produced fertilizer to feed the world's people by taking nitrogen from the air, the light bulb, the printing press, anesthetics, too many other medicines to name, electronic/photonic computers and communication connecting the world, electricity to power the world, the refrigerator to preserve food, pasteurization to preserve food, medical devices like X-Rays, NMR, ultrsound, stethoscope, optical and other sensors like telescopes, microscopes to open our awareness of the universe at many more scales, artificial materials like plastics,...

Huh? That makes no sense. Neanderthals' could have written a better statement.

May 4, 2013 at 7:34 pm |

Just Me

I BELIEVE 2000 YEAR OLD FAIRY TALES

May 4, 2013 at 7:31 pm |

.

I bet that monkey looks a lot like your mother.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Just Me

That's because he is my mother.

May 4, 2013 at 7:34 pm |

Just Me

RELIGIOUS FANATICS SHOULD BE SHOT ON SIGHT!

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Just Me

And I'm a big idiot! In case you didn't notice...

May 4, 2013 at 7:34 pm |

Andyx3s

So, Mr. Just Me. I guess your demeanor is no different than a wild raging chimp. You just contradicted yourself, you have something in common with apes. I don't have an angry temperament and my I.Q. level was tested at 150.

Did none of no one even finish high school? A scientific theory is different from the normal use of the word theory. Gravity is also a theory so I guess we shouldn't believe in that either. Evolution is the change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It is a fact that this happens. Why do you think there are different breeds of dogs? Why do we have to get a different flu shot every year? Why are our vegetables so much bigger than in earlier times? We've been doing artificial evolution for hundreds of years and we can literally observe evolution happening in viruses and bacteria. We can also look at bone structures of earlier populations and we know they looked different.

May 4, 2013 at 7:28 pm |

Eric

Haha well I guess I never finished English class.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Just Me

I TOUCH MYSELF WHEN I THINK ABOUT JESUS!

May 4, 2013 at 7:28 pm |

Just Me

My mom, too.

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

Just Me

WHO THE HELL LET ALL THE APES (ATHEISTS/AGNOSTICS) OUT FROM THEIR CAGES??? THEY BELONG THERE, PUT THEM ALL BACK!! THEY ARE FULL OF LIES!

May 4, 2013 at 7:28 pm |

Scott

You don't have to be agnostic to understand evolution. The Catholic Church itself believes in evolution. You can be both intelligent and religious if you try.

May 4, 2013 at 7:32 pm |

Andyx3s

Like I said before, your brain structure is not the same as Albert Einsteins, please keep your daughter away from intellects and make sure she marry a Chrysler auto worker with a low I.Q. Please don't pollute the gene pool of intellectual people.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

George Bush

You can find Jesus in the light socket, stick your tongue in there for a blessing!

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Just Me

I did that when I was a little boy.

May 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

Scott

Great article! please add more informative pieces like this. As you can tell by these comments, general scientific knowledge is severely lacking. You're providing a much needed service!

May 4, 2013 at 7:27 pm |

Just Me

DON'T
LISTEN TO ME I HAD TOO MUCH COMMUNION WINE AND PRIVATE TIME WITH A PRIEST!

May 4, 2013 at 7:27 pm |

Just Me

Mike Litoris – IF YOU WOULD JUST STOP BEING SO STUPID AND CLOSED MINDED, YOU WOULD READ THAT ADAM AND EVE HAD DAUGHTERS. YOU STUPID ATHEISTS WANTS TO LECTURE US ABOUT THE BIBLE, YET, YA CAN'T EVEN FIND THE SCRIPTURE WHERE IT STATES THAT ADAM AND EVE HAD DAUGHTERS. NOW, GO APE, GO FIND ME THE SCRIPTURE OF WHAT I SAID SO YOU CAN STOP MAKING YOURSELF LOOK LIKE A DAMN FOOL!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:26 pm |

George Bush

So Adam had daughters and then banged them? Cool story bro? Did the talking snake watch?

May 4, 2013 at 7:27 pm |

Daneil

You are an idiot. Don't argue things you aren't well versed in. It makes you seem quite foolish.

May 4, 2013 at 7:37 pm |

Scott

At the proposed time of Adam and Eve, there were hundreds of thousands of people living all over the planet. Please educate yourself.

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Andyx3s

This is a Science page for the discussion of science, nobody is preaching anything to you, you came into the domain of science, I'm sorry I had to correct you.

May 4, 2013 at 7:31 pm |

Andyx3s

Are you sure your a bible reading Christian? Last I heard, Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Able.

May 4, 2013 at 8:06 pm |

Mixo Lydian

Worst, most offensive comments ever. I am now convinced that either (a) we are still years away from a post-racist society; or (b) the current phase of evolution is turning most of us into trolls.

I grew up with these god-fearing anti-science people.I was smart enough to move to more liberal environments. My grown-up children are grateful
.

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

wes

"I'm smart"

May 4, 2013 at 8:13 pm |

LA

Lol

May 9, 2013 at 9:01 am |

Just Me

IF WE EVOLVED FROM APES, EXPLAIN WHERE THE WILD BEASTS IN THE AIR, LAND, AND SEA. EXPLAIN THE INSECTS IN THE AIR, LAND AND SEA. DID THEY EVOLVED FROM APES TOO? DAMN, YOU PEOPLE ARE COMPLETELY BEYOND STUPID!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

George Bush

What happened to the talking snakes?

May 4, 2013 at 7:26 pm |

Andyx3s

Like I said before, my son is studying in Harvard and he is a computer major. Please, keep your daughter away from him because I don't want my grandchildren to inherit your I.Q. level.

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Daneil

Im certain your overachieving pretend son will be safe.

May 4, 2013 at 7:38 pm |

Just Me

George Bush – THE TALKING SNAKES PREACH CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD DAY IN AND DAY NIGHT.....LIKE YOU.

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

George Bush

So I evolved from a talking snake? Get your stories straight.

May 4, 2013 at 7:32 pm |

KirkSlade

Are you that stupid? Insects, mammals, birds, and fish are different creatures. Did you ever go to school?

May 4, 2013 at 7:30 pm |

Conservative rule?

People who argue the merits of the theory of evolution ought to read the theory first.

May 4, 2013 at 7:40 pm |

Hi

Ah, everyone, look at the little troll! He's soooooooooooooooooo cute. He spouts ignorant nonsense, claiming to actually have the opinion of a bigot, but really he just wants attention. You just want to eat him up!

May 4, 2013 at 7:30 pm |

kent

still reading right through you just me. nice try again.

May 4, 2013 at 7:30 pm |

Nicodemus Grumpschmidt

Just Me, any chance you might be familiar with the name and works of Richard Dawkins? No, I thought not. Here's a tip, pick up a copy of his book The Greatest Show on Earth. He'll spell out for you very directly, though in terms that are probably way over your head, that evolution is no longer a theory. It is, indeed, fact. Yes, we do have a common ancestor with all other life forms on earth. I'm sorry you're still gullible enough to believe fairytales that feature talking snakes and lily-white people who supposedly came from a very dark-skinned region of this planet. And, no, the planet is not a mere 6,000 years old. Time to wake up and smell the toast, dearie!

May 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

hbojorquez

Your ignorance is showing "ThinkAgain".
All life is made of amino acid chains– you may know some of these as DNA. As early as the 50's experiments have shown the following.
Take completely sterile molten lava, pour sterile water over it, simulate electric charges– basically simulate the earth's atmosphere in it's early early years.... and within a few 'generations' of simulation, in a STERILE environment- you start finding proto-cells. Yes- you willfully ignorant person– you get round globules of amino acid chains– that are pretty much a template for early cell life- add a few million years to this soup and you get the first once celled organisms.
This is not science fiction- And btw– I'm not an atheist- but I'm don't take the bible literally. and THAT is your problem because you take the bible as the literal word of God- you can't see the truth in front of your face.
The people who wrote the bible- truly believed that the rain, thunder and disease were caused by God or by demons– We know better now but you are stuck interpreting life through literal interpretations of the bible.
You can give that notion up and STILL believe in God. We Catholics do and guess what– we Catholics are okay with evolution.
Go take some science classes.

May 4, 2013 at 7:40 pm |

UseUrBrain

Adding a few million years seems to be your answer to every improbable situation like most who believe in evolution.

So, did the DNA or protein come first? Each wont exist without the other.

Looking for an intelligent answer.

May 4, 2013 at 7:52 pm |

brendan

Proteins and DNA can exist independently of each other. Expierements have been conducted to duplicate the initial conditions on earth when life first began about 3.9 billion years ago since the 1950 – and numerous times it is been found that a series of chemical reactions occurred which caused the creation of amino acids and proteins. but so far nothing has self replicated.

May 4, 2013 at 9:09 pm |

brendan

read some books that arent the bible. evolution goes further back than apes – chickens and ducks have a common ancestor. chimps and humans do too.

besides, if evolution – which is merely the change in genetic trates in organisms through generations – isnt real, how do you explain the existence of dogs, which we all know were bred from wolves. and isnt it funny that wolves still exist too.

May 4, 2013 at 7:40 pm |

Conor

PLEASE keep repeating that to as many people as you can... You are making creationists look stupider than any rational person ever could.

May 4, 2013 at 7:58 pm |

Just Me

WOW, LOOK AT THEIR, WE FINALLY GET AN ARTICLE ABOUT ATHEISTS!! THEY SURE A SO DAMN UGLY!

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

reason

we are all born atheists.

May 4, 2013 at 7:26 pm |

Idalula

Nice display of literacy, Mr. ALL CAPS!

May 4, 2013 at 7:56 pm |

Yourargumentisinvalid

The theory of evolution does not state that humans came from monkeys. Most of the people on here trying to disprove evolution are really just proving that they never took the time to understand it.

Evolution states that humans and monkey share a common ancestor. Your fifth cousin twice removed on your mother's side doesn't invalidate your existence in the same way that it is possible for both man, apes, and monkeys to be present today.

At one time equatorial africa was the only livable land available. All the rest of the lands were covered with ice.

May 4, 2013 at 7:42 pm |

Just Me

BELIEVING IN ADAM & EVE THE BIBLE IS MUCH MORE SANE THEN BELIEVING IN THIS lDIOTIC CRAP WE ARE READING. I RATHER BELIEVE THAT MY ROOTS ARE TRACED TO A REAL HUMAN BEING THEN A MONKEY.....STUPID DAMN ATHEISTS AND THEIR FREAK'N DEMONIC LIES!!!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:17 pm |

George Bush

Sure, you were created from mud, and then tricked by a talking snake, makes sense!

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

Just Me

George Bush – I BELIEVE IN TALKING SNAKES. THEY POST CRAP ON HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

May 4, 2013 at 7:24 pm |

Einstein

bahahaha!!!!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Andyx3s

Just Me, I hope your just joking? Have you tested your I.Q. lately? If you have a daughter please keep her away from my son who is now attending Harvard to major in Computer Science. I don't want the intelligence level in my grandchildren to be diminished because of your daughter, marry her off to a Chrysler auto worker. By your understanding of life, I can tell we are not all created equally.

WHAT they're not just saying but proving is they have not evolved as FAR from apes.... including more frequent resorting to shrieking in the females and violence in the males to resolve disputes. Dismissible as a stereotype in that it is not universal and equal opportunity must be extended to all Americans regardless of DNA, but not unfounded or unseen either.

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Joe

I thought that CNN was saying that dark-skinned people have vitamin D deficiency and the resulting bone problems. Maybe they can sell milk at the store with extra vitamin D for dark-skinned people.

May 4, 2013 at 7:30 pm |

marsilius

But so did whites.

May 4, 2013 at 7:30 pm |

Leo

No, genius, they're saying that we ALL evolved from apes. Doesn't matter what shade of skin – we all have our origins in a common ape ancestor.

Also, because of the way phylogenics work, we didn't "come from" apes. We ARE apes. If you can't accept that without it throwing your entire worldview and self-worth into chaos, then you need to reexamine your life.

May 4, 2013 at 7:31 pm |

PastySkins

Pasty skins can only spend an hour a day outside. God has cursed them with UV penetrable skin which causes them to be overly susceptible to all the variations of skin cancer. The pasty skins would trade all the could for more melanin in their skin, luckily they'll never be able to acquire it. It's what's thinning their ranks as we speak.

"From 1970 to 2009, the incidence of melanoma increased by 800 percent among young women and 400 percent among young men." – SkinCancer(dot)org

May 5, 2013 at 3:31 pm |

Daya

Everything I would believe about evolution but we became human starting from a single cell? How about the feeling? How can mutation cause difference in feeling?

May 4, 2013 at 7:13 pm |

Doug

Don't stop believin', hang onto that feelin'

May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm |

George Bush

Being created from mud makes more sense? Because mud has feelings?

May 4, 2013 at 7:17 pm |

reason

prove to us mud does NOT! lol

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

Daya

Wasn't the idea that a cell was created from a mud? All the elements from mud? What do you think mud is? Isn't it the same material as you?

May 4, 2013 at 7:21 pm |

reason

so if it cant be explained – must be some supernatural being. Welcome to 854BC.

May 4, 2013 at 7:18 pm |

George Bush

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know how babies are made Jethro? They start from a single cell!

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

reason

forgive Daya – actually the ripe age of 2. Pretty smart for his age.

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

Andyx3s

Daya, feelings were created by evolution so we can communicate. Crabs don't have feelings and their system of communication is simple but then crabs don't belong to social groups like mammals do. Dogs and Wolves have feelings, when they growl at each other it is to establish dominance. Rage in some mammals gives them authority. Our feelings are the most complex by far, so there is your answer, evolution created feelings for human communications since we live in social groups.

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

Crabs do have feelings

They're crabby.

May 4, 2013 at 7:32 pm |

Daya

Sure, but if mutation can add something we call 'feeling' into us, we should be able to do that too. We haven't been able to create a cell, unless started from another cell or a part of a cell. Life might be advancing to some degree, but I don't still believe the way our science explains.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

TheBob

It's called the nervous system. It's been around at least since the first insects appeared.

May 4, 2013 at 7:24 pm |

L. Singh

This article should clear up a great degree of MISCONCEPTION for centuries among the human race, even as I busy type away. As, any person with some elementary knowledge re the factors of HOT/COLD climates our (respective ancestors made their homes) Does indeed, determine one's COLOR/PHYSICAL differences ... come on my pale faces relatives .... you got lucky, get over it. : – )) I'm a 4th generation born in the southern hemisphere of the Americas. The oppressive HEAT (365 night/day) chokes you into submission and drains whatever energy you have left!

May 4, 2013 at 7:12 pm |

Klydedayle

wow what an ape!

May 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm |

pep

So how does this explain the color of Orientals?

May 4, 2013 at 7:23 pm |

Bostontola

The amateur scientists on this blog are quite amusing. Scientists are smart enough to develop antibiotics, mass produced fertilizer to feed people by taking nitrogen from the air, the light bulb, the printing press, anesthetics, too many other medicines to name, electronic/photonic computers and communication connecting the world, electricity to power the world, the refrigerator to preserve food, pasteurization to preserve food, medical devices like X-Rays, NMR, ultrsound, stethoscope, optical and other sensors like telescopes, microscopes to open our awareness of the universe at many more scales, artificial materials like plastics,...

but you all are much smarter than they are. Tank your religion for your deluded view of the world.

May 4, 2013 at 7:12 pm |

Just Me

ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN EVILUTION ARE MONKEYS. AS FOR THE REST OF US SANE PEOPLE, WE ARE HUMANS. GOOD THING WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MILLIONS lDIOT PEOPLE WHO BELIEVES IN THIS IDIOTIC CRAP!!

No religionist ever mentioned that (a) the earth was round; (b) that the earth rotated on its axis; (c) that the earth orbitted the sun; (d) that the sun was stationary relative to the earth: or (e) that the earths gravity held every thing close to earth and prevented them from drifting off into space.. No one knew about these facts: not Allah, Moses, Abraham, Mohammed, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, etc., etc..

May 4, 2013 at 8:23 pm |

George Bush

Creationists love this stupid argument: If monkeys evolved into humans why are there still monkeys?

That is like asking if new dog breeds are breed why are there still old dog breeds?

Hey there are now purple tomatoes, that must be impossible because there are still red tomatoes!

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

reason

if land creatures evolved from sea creatures, why are there still sea creatures?

May 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm |

Allen

Its an evolutionary split, when a species splits and a large population migrate elsewhere different adaptation are acquired to help the species survive. Monkey's and humans are similar in so many ways. But we evolved slightly more. There are dog breeds that are known to be smarter and live longer than others, have different bone structures and such.

May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm |

Klydedayle

What dog breed was there that doesn't exist any longer?

May 4, 2013 at 7:16 pm |

George Bush

Exactly...

May 4, 2013 at 7:23 pm |

pep

Okay, so whales originally came from the sea and walked on land (this explains their rudimentary legs). They soon became so heavy they returned to tjhe sea. It is to laugh. This is an unbelievable as dogs evolving from wolves.

May 4, 2013 at 7:31 pm |

Boink

You never read Darwin's theory did you?

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Phillip

Wait – so you people believe in Noah's ark and Adam and Eve – BECAUSE ITS IN A DAMN BOOK THATS LIKE 2000 YEARS OLD, but everyone else is crazy if they believe in evolution which is supported by science and logic?

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

Klydedayle

its not logical to believe that we came from monkeys. Yes they are a close match to us but that isn't proof.

May 4, 2013 at 7:11 pm |

Phillip

Because something is written in the Bible isn't proof. Not saying the bible isnt how it really happened, but it makes no more sense than evolution at BEST

May 4, 2013 at 7:13 pm |

kent

we didn't come from monkeys, and science has never said that. you people hurt my brain.

May 4, 2013 at 7:26 pm |

George Bush

So what did all those carnivors eat when they got off the arc anyway?

May 4, 2013 at 7:11 pm |

Kevin

UMM, Fish, Read the Bible smiley🙂

May 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm |

Noah's wife

And she loved every minute of it.

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

Just Me

BELIEVING IN ADAM & EVE THE BIBLE IS MUCH MORE SANE THEN BELIEVING IN THIS IDIOTIC CRAP WE ARE READING. I RATHER BELIEVE THAT MY ROOTS ARE TRACED TO A REAL HUMAN BEING THEN A MONKEY.....STUPID DAMN ATHEISTS AND THEIR FREAK'N DEMONIC LIES!!!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm |

Idalula

OK, sane one. You are still the offspring of a placental primate mammal, because yo mama grew you in a uterus and squirted you out live. Tell that to Jesus.

May 4, 2013 at 7:53 pm |

Just Me

BELIEVING IN ADAM & EVE THE BIBLE IS MUCH MORE SANE THEN BELIEVING IN THIS lDIOTIC CRAP WE ARE READING. I RATHER BELIEVE THAT MY ROOTS ARE TRACED TO A REAL HUMAN BEING THEN A MONKEY.....STUPID DAMN ATHEISTS AND THEIR FREAK'N DEMONIC LIES!!!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:16 pm |

Wow

you fool

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

Rod1977

Supported by science? I am still to see the scientific evidence of evolution being a real thing. All I hear and read is theorizing and lucubration, but no systematic explanation. In reality, evolution is a pseudo science that bases its assumptions on morphological and anatomical comparison of fossils. But when it comes to the molecular level, all arguments are weak. Take for example the DNA (genetic code). It is a CODE, code equals language and language equals intelligence. Now the question is...whose intelligence?

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

willowspring

Evolution has NOT been proven by science and logic. That is why it is STILL called a theory. Darwin himself said to prove his theory there would have to be a fossil record and that has never been found. A theory is a hypothesis, conjecture, speculation and nothing more, yet our education system since Darwin, ran with it and it is now accepted as fact, even though it is STILL NOT PROVEN. Evolution and Atheism usually go hand in hand, but consider this. If we know if man in all his genius, cannot create anything from nothing, how intellectually preposterous is it to actually think that in the beginning nothing created everything.

May 4, 2013 at 7:39 pm |

L. Singh

Spot on... Phillip! Dare I say, the monkey theory .... continues to drive many up the wall, no matter what further scientific proof emerges. Many Asian countries, particularly China and India celebrates and honors animals ... there is a: "Monkey & Elephant gods who are a big deal for India Hindus known as Ravana & Ganesh beloved by many and sacred. Let's hear it for the animals..

The ark was found years ago. On a mountian top. Encased in a glacier, which had melted back enough to grant access to the interior. There was still straw an the floor...I saw the footage when it was found, most likely before you were born. So I'm afraid that yes, I believe in a book that is 2000 years old. I don't believe 'everyone' who believes in evolution is crazy, but you have to admit that there's a few.

May 4, 2013 at 10:15 pm |

Klydedayle

I suppose your ancestors could had come from apes...monkeys..orangutangs .. Mine didn't.

The pure BS of this sort of evolution is nuts. If we came from apes, we would still be coming from apes.

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

Fred

Nope, only the liberal ones evolved...

May 4, 2013 at 7:11 pm |

willowspring

You forgot the D, as in DEvolved.

May 4, 2013 at 7:41 pm |

Wow

Your brilliance is blinding

May 4, 2013 at 7:13 pm |

George Bush

So you can from 2 people that imbred for 6000 years? Wait, then God killed most of them in the great flood, and they inbred even more from Noahs family! Yee-hah!

May 4, 2013 at 7:13 pm |

Doug

It's ok if you have Down's syndrome bro. Nobody cares. You don't need to broadcast it like that and get all defensive.

May 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm |

reason

wow Klydedayle. The stupidity of that comment should win you some sort of prize. Ill make some calls.

May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm |

Klydedayle

I have already won the prize!

May 4, 2013 at 7:17 pm |

Tanker

Please tell me these people are just Trolls.

I refuse to believe that these folks missed the entire 20th century, but can still log onto a computer.

May 4, 2013 at 7:09 pm |

Fred

So tanker troll just how did life start originally?

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

hawkechik

If we have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand.

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

Boink

Two atoms bounced off of each other and an Operating System began. More bouncing made for a more complex program. System crashes eliminated the most faulty programs.

May 4, 2013 at 7:32 pm |

MandoZink

Yeah. A bit annoying to have to deal with. People can be completely science illiterate and still learn to use technology. Recent news articles have show primates in zoos learning to use computer touch screens to manipulate images and play around with certain apps. Since it apparently takes no formal intelligence whatsoever to do, that easily explains the appearance of unbelievably ignorant comments here.

May 4, 2013 at 7:28 pm |

Allen

Typo central up in here, and this proves nothing. Does not disprove other theories. But to the guy who said something about fish, they are a total different species, cannot compare fairly.

Haha...this is the 'news' CNN is reporting these days?
Yep, im going back to FOX.

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

Leo

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

Idalula

Fox welcomes your feeble little brain back into its sheeple herd.

May 4, 2013 at 7:51 pm |

Just Me

I have never seen so many stupid people believe that we even evolved from apes when humanity is traced back to Adam and Eve. There is NO proof that we evolved from apes.

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

Allen

lol

May 4, 2013 at 7:09 pm |

DJL

And where is your proof of that? Oh, right, in a book of mythology written thousands of years ago by a bunch of uneducated, frightened men.

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

Jose

LOL LOL

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

Wow

I will have to assume your joking and therefore LOL

May 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm |

Idalula

There is no proof that Adam or Eve actually existed, either, just a myth written in a book.

May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm |

Shaken Not Stirred

The proof is abundant unlike your creation drivel. Maybe you should go back to your fake moon landing, or 9/11 conspiracy threads.

May 4, 2013 at 7:17 pm |

Patrish

Spare me from the people that ACTUALLY BELIEVE what's written in the bible. A old book which has been rewritten numerous times and stop added, or taken out to appease churches. DAAAAAAAAAAAAA

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

Mike Litoris

Explain to me how we all descend from Adam and Eve if they had only two children, both of whom were male? The Bible doesn't say that Eve procreated with her sons, and even if she did those offspring would be brother/sister to Cain and Able. Now we all know what happens when humans repeatedly inbreed, so most likely the human race would have killed itself off were it truly descended from Adam and Eve. But you would know this if you paid attention in biology.

The bible says God created Adam and Eve FIRST. It doesn't say 'only'. And Adam and Eve had many, many children. There is also a passage that says the sons of God saw the daughters of man and took them for their wives. Now I have no idea what exactly that means, but its clear,that Adam and Eve's family wasn't the only ones on the earth.

May 4, 2013 at 10:32 pm |

Wow

Except all those fossils and DNA but you go with your fairy tale book of you want

Conservative throw their babies into the air but forget to catch them as they fall head first. That is how they insure the continuity of the Party.

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Mike

If you believe that, then you must be a liberal. Everyone knows Conservatives deny science and fancy book learnin'.

May 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm |

Tim

Oh my gosh you people have to be kidding me.
Who even makes up this stuff.
It is totally funny how people can waste so much time on coming up with such crap.

It is all BULL CRAP!!!!!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:04 pm |

Fred

It's all about research grants...

May 4, 2013 at 7:06 pm |

I know right!

People are so naive, believing in a book written over 2000 years ago by Middle eastern men, LOL!

May 5, 2013 at 7:59 am |

Jimi

I can't believe how all of you managed to turn an interesting informative article into a silly argument about race. Go eat a couple cans of sardines (brain food) and improve your thinking.

May 4, 2013 at 7:03 pm |

Jesus

Great....I'm a monkey? I'm never going to church again. My parents are liars. They said God created man.

May 4, 2013 at 7:02 pm |

Tanker

Don't feel to badly about it.

They lied when they told you that you were "special" too...

May 4, 2013 at 7:04 pm |

jez

That was funny!

May 4, 2013 at 7:18 pm |

Patrish

LOL!

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

George Bush

Close, man created God. That way men could use this mythical creature to scare other men into doing what they wanted.

May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm |

Idalula

More specifically, you are a mammalian primate, because yo mama bore you in a uterus with a placenta. Get over it. Science is real about this.

May 4, 2013 at 7:17 pm |

Jose

They lied about Santa also.

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

Fred

Wow... How can they call this "science"? What a joke, evolution is laughable at best...

May 4, 2013 at 7:02 pm |

Tanker

But an invisible man in the sky is a hard fact?

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

Fred

Lol there is more proof that Jesus existed than animals evolving...

May 4, 2013 at 7:09 pm |

Wow

Oh yea Jesus, What ever happened to that guy?

May 4, 2013 at 7:16 pm |

Shaken Not Stirred

What proof ? I've never seen a single iota of proof.

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

Jackie Treehorn

Well, I exist. So if I claim that I'm the son of God and can do a lot of magic stuff, I guess you'll believe me.

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

UseUrBrain

Stirred not shaken,

Josephus and other historians mentioned about Jesus.

May 4, 2013 at 8:06 pm |

kent

it amazes me fred, that people like you know so much more than the millions of scientist world wide, who use the scientific method to come to the conclusion that we are descended from the branch of the primate tree. name calling would stoop to you lack of intellect.

May 4, 2013 at 7:16 pm |

Wow

Especially when they found fossils to prove it. Proof of Jesus? Oh yea an old book. Does that mean Santa is real too?

May 4, 2013 at 7:18 pm |

Fred

Millions of non-atheist scientists think evolution is cracked too...

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

Idalula

Evolution can explain why monotheism is just a passing phase in the growth of consciousness. Keep deluding yourself. I find in insulting to a concept of God that we scrawny mortals would refuse to believe that a universal spirit would not be involved in endless change.

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

Weenchit

I have never seen so many people hostile to evolution. This truly scares me.

May 4, 2013 at 7:00 pm |

Fabio

they dont like the truth. don't worry in 10 years there wont be many close minded people left. the new will replace the old

May 4, 2013 at 7:03 pm |

Zaggar

And yet many who believe in evolution will refuse to believe that it could act on human races, and produce non-superficial differences between them.

Considering that the various human races can still interbred and the offspring produced are not infertile, the physical differences are fairly superficial.

Culturally, we are vastly different from eachother.

May 4, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

bannister

Well, it's not just religious conservatives – liberals are hostile to evolution too!

You see, Darwin believed that blacks were inferior to whites. He believed that blacks did not evolve as far as whites had evolved. That is part of his Theory of Evolution and his Theory of Natural Selection.

But liberals are HORRIFIED at that idea – so they ignore it or deny it or disagree with it. But liberals – just like many religious conservatives- reject Darwin and Evolution as well, but for different reasons.

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

Zaggar

Well put.

The similarities between liberals and the fundies they continually mock are obvious to anyone but them.

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

DJL

“There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths.” - Bertrand Russell

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

equatorial pigmentation

Why does that scare you?

Evolution is an observable phenomenon. But most evolutionary explanations of human nature are carelessly comprised and do not rule out the possibility of intelligent intervention. Most evolutionary explanations act like evolution has an intelligent purpose. But in theory it shouldn't.

May 4, 2013 at 7:14 pm |

equatorial pigmentation

A single simplistic theory may not cover all of the bases.

May 4, 2013 at 7:21 pm |

Idalula

I love the concept and evidence of evolution- I long for the time when these religious dinosaurs will pass away, along with their books of monotheistic myths, and the future can imagine there's no heaven, hell, punishing deity, or rules against thoughts.

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

nibelungen

I am amused by the use of past tense in the headline leading to the article ("To understand how skin color evolved..."). Guess what? It is still evolving. If the planet survives, you don't know what will be here in 5 million years. It has to be "To understand how skin color has been evolving..."!

May 4, 2013 at 7:00 pm |

Just a thought

“There is no significant evolution acting on people who are either ‘too light’ or ‘too dark’ for their solar conditions because we have layers of protection in the form of complex culture, like buildings, clothing and diet,” she asserted.

May 26, 2013 at 10:28 pm |

GodFearing

We do not come from monkeys. WE COME FROM GOD. THE GREAT CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH AND ALL THINGS. WE BELONG TO HIM. AMEN.

May 4, 2013 at 6:59 pm |

Tanker

If we aren't related monkey's, why are you screaming and throwing poo?

May 4, 2013 at 7:02 pm |

NoCousin

That must have been coming from your monkey cousins!

May 4, 2013 at 7:05 pm |

pvs1

go slither back under your rock you brainwashed m0ron, in His name we pray, AMEN. *fart*

May 4, 2013 at 7:05 pm |

porkfat

There's not a single evolutionist who believes anyone came from monkeys. We both, man and ape, came from a common ancestor. Know your argument. It is proven through the use of dating techniques, DNA analysis and simple biological examination. Anyone with a brain can plainly see it. I'm sorry for the loss of your brain. I hope you recover it some day.

We have a link between monkeys and humans: inbreed white-trash idiots. PS: I'm beige, not white.

May 4, 2013 at 7:47 pm |

willowspring

You are disgusting !!

May 4, 2013 at 7:59 pm |

Zaggar

To think that races differ only in skin color is as ridiculous as anything that ever came out of the mouth of the most lunatic religious fundamentalist.

Racial differences are in the bones, the biochemistry, and the brain.

May 4, 2013 at 6:58 pm |

Doctorstrangeluv

When is CNN and their flock of Sheeple ever going to accept the truth that the world is just 5000 years old ? We all know the many different "races" and all the so called archeological evidence of evolution and branching off of races & species was all simply planted there by God to test our faith !

May 4, 2013 at 6:57 pm |

Fabio

when are you going to accept the fact that the planet earth is billions of years old? we are lions yall are sheep, a lion does not lose sleep over the opinion of a sheep. We know the truth.

May 4, 2013 at 7:06 pm |

Idalula

It's actually paleontology, and that's about the fact that it's much much more interesting to have a world 4.5 billion years old, where "God" let the stew of life brew, bubble and change. 5000 years? Pull your head out of the Bible, genius, and look around. And stop insulting God.

May 4, 2013 at 7:46 pm |

WC

Maybe you should stop reading fiction books (the bible) and pick up a non-fiction book for once. There is tons of evidence that the earth is around 4.6 billion years old at least, and CNN is reporting on this stuff because it is actually news unlike your precious religion that only gets news for their "religious leaders" raping little boys. Also, sounds a little racist to me that you mention "god planted different races to TEST OUR FAITH?" Why would having different races test our faith? Everything about your brief comment just reeks of stupidity.

May 4, 2013 at 8:07 pm |

doctorstrangeluv

Wow ... I see a few people responding here who obviously are not fluent in sarcasm

May 4, 2013 at 11:52 pm |

Kevin

Evolution is a theory. Thats it! no more no less. No Proof, No evidence. Thin VERY Thin.......

May 4, 2013 at 6:55 pm |

J-Man

That is true. There is no (as in zero) facts that prove evolution. It is all theory and hypothesis. There is thousands of years of history that support that there was a man named Jesus as the bible tells.

May 4, 2013 at 6:59 pm |

Kevin

Faith is much stronger than Theory🙂

May 4, 2013 at 7:04 pm |

123elle

Jesus would have had no objection whatsoever to the theory of evolution. As a revolutionary himself and an enlightened person, he would have been fascinated by it.

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

Fabio

the absence of evidence, is not the evidence of absence!

May 4, 2013 at 7:01 pm |

Kevin

Cute twist of words, Still NO evidence! Just Sayin..

May 4, 2013 at 7:37 pm |

Raedwulf

Better than just one book

May 4, 2013 at 7:04 pm |

Yourargumentisinvalid

And Religion isn't even a hypothesis.

May 4, 2013 at 7:04 pm |

Kevin

What do you got?

May 4, 2013 at 7:24 pm |

Jackie Treehorn

Pardon me if I don't take seriously the views of someone who doesn't even know what the word theory means in a scientific context.

May 4, 2013 at 7:05 pm |

Kevin

OH Jackie, are you going to use variable definitions to twist the truth? PULEASE! Theory is not based in scientific fact PERIOD! Twist away now GO!

May 4, 2013 at 7:28 pm |

Scott

Sorry Kevin, Evolution is proven fact. In science the word "theory" means something completely different than in common speech. You should read up on evolution because I think you're confusing it with abiogenesis (the origin of life)

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

jordan

Thank you. At least someone isnt a complete and utter moron. I've never understood why people who have never even looked up what evolution or a theory is feel like fighting against it so hard.

May 4, 2013 at 7:10 pm |

Kevin

Please show us all the Scientific facts! I am sooo excited GO!

May 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm |

jordan

you are completely false. Gravity is a theory you fool. A scientific theory is essentially as fact as you can be. It means evolution has been put through the scientific method non stop and has never once failed it. If it did it wouldnt be a theory. Thats why things we know for a fact are theories like gravity. You have absolutly no understanding of science. almost every single scientist knows without a doubt evolution is a fact. If they dont they are not a real scientist. A scientist is someone who uses the scientific method. Since evolution has never failed it they are correct in giving evolution the status of a theory. Please actually read the definition of this work instead of using your commonpeople definition.you lack of intelligence hurts us all.

May 4, 2013 at 7:08 pm |

Kevin

What causes Gravity? GO!

May 4, 2013 at 7:22 pm |

TNHound

The complete fossil record of the horse proving its evolution is just made up stuff I suppose. The lack of scientific reasoning and education in some of our population is truly appalling...never mind you just can't fix stupid.

May 4, 2013 at 7:12 pm |

Kevin

Fitting Jigsaw pieces together from the ground that are thousands of years old! I can use a Drummel tool and make them fit too...

May 4, 2013 at 7:35 pm |

Idalula

News flash: Jesus is dead, has been for over 2000 years, and yet you religious nuts keep worshiping his twisted, tortured graven image hanging on some cross like a universal sacrifice, while paying lip service to the gospel.

May 4, 2013 at 7:26 pm |

Kevin

Dead to you is about right....

May 4, 2013 at 7:55 pm |

fyre

The fact that adults educated in a first world country like America can make absolutely asinine statements like this . . .jeeze. I have no words.

May 5, 2013 at 11:02 pm |

John P. Tarver

What is truly amazing is the false notion that species are an outcome of evolution is still taught in American primary schools.

your lack of understanding of evolution is saddening. evolution doesn't state we evolved from monkeys we both had a common ancestors. we branched off into what we are now and they branched off into the many chimps you see today. Please don't argue about things until you actually learn a little about them. This is 2nd grade stuff and quite sad you don't even know the basics yet feel a need to argue against it. I bet your the same kind of person who uses evolution is just a theory as an argument not knowing that theory in scientific terms means something completely different. Gravity is a theory by the way. You dare to challenge that?

They adapted to life in that region and formed a society of their own.

May 4, 2013 at 8:37 pm |

Klaark

I love these science articles for the mere fact it ruins so many conservatives' days. Anything that upsets them is just fantastic. The Bible is a story book, dummies! Don't like it? Too bad.

May 4, 2013 at 6:54 pm |

pvs1

may Thor strike you down with his mighty hammer for your blasphemy. in Odin's name we pray.

May 4, 2013 at 7:08 pm |

justBecouse

Thanks!

May 4, 2013 at 7:11 pm |

Andyx3s

Klaark, your right, the bible is a story book that was created by the people that made this universe. If you go to youtube and you put in the search engine "Slot 2 Wars" you will be able to listen to a message that those people left for human kind. The song is in Russian, but it emits an English sound with a message for those who live in Canada, Australia, England, America and bilinguals who understand the English language. I speculate that the message has more than one meaning in various languages but I only understand English. A female creator if you want to call it says on the song, 'Evanka created shoe, Evarnia achieves, no honestly shoes smell." Since, this female creator can speak in clear language, but refuses then you can deduce that those creators made us just for fun. Human language and sound descended from innate particles that came from distant stars and all the matter in this universe is organized into a book so you observation that the bible is just a story are correct. Not only did those creatures create the bible but every other book on this earth and we ourselves are part of a different type of three dimensional book and as the days pass they turn like pages.

May 4, 2013 at 7:16 pm |

Bobby Light

The pic looks like Patrick Ewing.

May 4, 2013 at 6:53 pm |

Zaggar

That mag cover a few years back featuring Lebron and Gisele illustrated species differences nicely.

I think that was why a lot of people didn't like it. The contrasts were just too glaring to be ignored.

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

John P. Tatver

Does CNN have no shame? Blacks are evolved exactly as much as whites. Species occur rapidly following a mass extinction, the opposite of evolution. I know some in biology are ashamed of this.

May 4, 2013 at 6:49 pm |

Jackie Treehorn

Where does it say otherwise? You must have access to an invisible extra paragraph that I don't see.

May 4, 2013 at 6:54 pm |

Eric

They never said blacks weren't "evolved" as much as whites, and by the way that means nothing.

May 4, 2013 at 7:01 pm |

Zaggar

Blacks' ancestors remained in Africa, where the environment remained stable for millennia. Blacks have been subjected to less evolutionary pressure than Euros or Asians. They are less "evolved" than the latter groups, whose ancestors went through bottlenecks, or selection events, that ended many old genetic lines.

This is why blacks are genetically more diverse than Euros or Asians - theie old ancestral genetic lines have been preserved.

May 4, 2013 at 7:02 pm |

Andyx3s

Jackie, John is correct, and may I point out why there are so many differences in opinion in this forum. Not everyone that comes into this forum has the same level of education for various reason and not everyone that comes into this forum has the same genetic level of intelligence so not everyone can understand and see science the same way as others. Some people actually think they can go out and slay a lion with a tooth pick, well good luck.

May 4, 2013 at 7:06 pm |

Idalula

News Flash: No one is black or white. We range in skin tone from deep chocolate to pale pinkish beige. It's only pigment. We can all interbreed, and we are all the same species, with lots of regional diversity. Get over your hangups about being black or white, because you're not.

May 4, 2013 at 7:29 pm |

Kregg

sickle cell is genetic

May 4, 2013 at 6:48 pm |

Andyx3s

Yes, we know that, but chimps don't have sickle cell it's only common in northern African people. Thank you for your input Einstein. They are showing the relationship between vitamin D production and skin color and how dark pigment protects against the radiation of the sun. They are trying to assemble a time line for evolution but popseal explained very well when he said there are too many variables that are involved in the evolution of organisms.

This explanation contradicts logic and evolution. How did people with dark skin survive for so long without a high production of vitamin D? How do fish that live in the deepest parts of the ocean survive without vitamin D. How come birds can't swim under water except if they are penguins. Evolution adapts to any condition that life encounters. There could be a wide range of reasons why skin turned from dark to light as humans migrated up north. Camouflage in animals changes the hair color so that could be one reason skin color changes. Lighter colors blend well in the snow. Another reason could be mutations, if a mutation occurs and the environment allows it to survive then it is passed down through generations. A light skinned mutation, varied types of higher intelligence, vitamin D production, and camouflage could be adaptations to the northern environment as well as defects like peeling, damaged, painful skin, and a weak immune system.

May 4, 2013 at 6:46 pm |

kat

This does not say that dark people didn't synthesize sufficient amounts of Vitamin D, it's suggesting that since their equatorial exposure to UV is much HIGHER, they still were able to make Vitamin D.

May 4, 2013 at 6:55 pm |

Sir Lord

Sir, you are arguing the issue with individuals that are far below your intelligence level. Just leave it be! It's a no-win situation since most of them have not examined species closely nor truly understand the evolutionary process!

May 4, 2013 at 7:21 pm |

ScienceSoma

Light skinned to be camouflaged in the snow? Have you ever seen a white person's skin stay white in the snow? It is bright pink / red. And a black person blends in with the African landscape? The explanations offered are perfectly plausible. Melanin protects the skin from UV. More sun exposure = more UV exposure = greater necessity for melanin.

May 4, 2013 at 7:24 pm |

Bob Marshal

My god, I think I was eight years old when I figured this out. This is science? I hope government money didn't go into this common sense assessment.

May 4, 2013 at 6:46 pm |

Inglourious

You figured out how humans synthesize vitamin D with sunlight when your were 8 years old?

May 4, 2013 at 6:50 pm |

kat

I was typing the VERY SAME question.

May 4, 2013 at 6:54 pm |

pw

I think he means, and I agree, that at 8 it was easy to figure out that climate had an evolutionary effect on pigmentation

May 4, 2013 at 6:59 pm |

fyre

@pw – that's very different from actually doing the work to prove it and publishing your findings in a peer reviewed journal.

May 5, 2013 at 11:05 pm |

Klaark

You still hadn't found your penis much less figured anything about vitamin D and skin color.

May 4, 2013 at 6:52 pm |

popseal

98% compatible DNA between humans and a chimp. With 3,000,000,000 bits of information in the DNA, that leaves 60,000,000 differences to go, and evolutionists are chimps again. My college math professor said it is a mathematical impossibility for random inert matter to arrange itself into a reproducing one cell life form....by itself. There are just too many factors that have to be perfectly related. We can talk about the transformation of light into an interpretable image by the optic nervous system another day. BC comics asked one day, "If we come from monkeys, how come we still got monkeys?"

We came from the dirt that Allah breathed into. All things that Allah wills, happen. Our food comes from the dirt that feeds our bodies

May 4, 2013 at 7:02 pm |

Tyler Durden

Because we didn't come from monkeys. We came from something else, and let the monkeys live. Most of the other quasi-hominids we did in fact kill to extinction along the way so we could be on top.

May 4, 2013 at 7:00 pm |

George Bush

Because not all monkeys evolved Jethro.

May 4, 2013 at 7:07 pm |

ITexan

We did not come from monkeys. We came from the same predecessor which also gave rise to monkeys. Much like all modern airplanes came from the Wright brothers' plane. A 747 and crop duster have a common ancestor but have no relation to each other.

With all of the bible-thumpers out there who think that Creationism should be taught alongside Evolution in schools, are you really that surprised.

May 4, 2013 at 6:48 pm |

chris

?

May 4, 2013 at 6:49 pm |

ziggydoda

You are correct in your observation and assessments.

May 4, 2013 at 7:09 pm |

cjccja

The sculptures bring these hominids to life. The way to look at them is not as defective or primitive humans. They were well adapted to their environment and did well. These were hundreds of these species alive over the years. Only one linage survived

May 4, 2013 at 6:39 pm |

hmmmm

Just because its a fact doesn't mean its true... 😉

May 4, 2013 at 6:39 pm |

Idalula

How about just because it's true doesn't mean it's a fact? Makes about as much "sense." NOT!!!

May 4, 2013 at 7:32 pm |

Me

More evolution lies...

May 4, 2013 at 6:39 pm |

LordIsONE

Evolution is scientific fact. Proven, period.

May 4, 2013 at 6:41 pm |

Just Me

LordIsONE – Evolution is a lie and that's a FACT!

May 4, 2013 at 7:08 pm |

RocketScientist

Please relocate this article to the "Voodoo" section where it belongs. It certainly isn't science.

May 4, 2013 at 6:39 pm |

NoApe

The article if full of assumptions like losing hair 1.2 million years ago? For what reason? Human body is more complex than that to simply evolve! Looks like you can be a prof. of anthropology if you can concote fairy tales like these.

Sometimes you wonder where they pull this sort of stuff from and then call it science and some how feel good about it!

May 4, 2013 at 6:39 pm |

LordIsONE

It evolves, even the roman catholic church excepts evolution

May 4, 2013 at 6:40 pm |

CareLess

I care less what the catholic church teaches.

The fact remains that the odd's of evolution are so huge to the point of being impossible.

Just to give an example that human genome contains 3 billion nitrogen bases of types in a specific sequence, plus 20000 genes!

May 4, 2013 at 6:56 pm |

fyre

CareLess, I'm a geneticist and if you're attempting to use the genome as an example of creationism, you clearly have no idea what you're talking about. The genomes of all life are the ultimate examples of evolution in progress and as a map to the past, since all hereditary change is based on first changing the genome. The raw definition of evolution is just a change in allele frequency (aka gene sequence) in a population.

May 5, 2013 at 11:12 pm |

John P. Tarver

As biologists lament today, "if only Darwin had known about genetics."

May 6, 2013 at 10:05 am |

pw

There is this really cool thing called fossils. You should read up on them sometime.

May 4, 2013 at 7:03 pm |

missinglink

And don't forget he missing links. Let us know when you find them.

Besides if any of these anthropologists studied probability, they would then understand the difficulty of evolution. 3 billion base in a genome in a specific sequence, and 20,000 genes make the human DNA. Hard to evolve, when the probability of the sequence changing into a different species is quite staggering.

May 4, 2013 at 7:12 pm |

ccle

they get their info from the same place as the bible thumpers who want you to believe in those same imposibilities in that sacred book of theirs

May 5, 2013 at 11:09 am |

LordIsONE

That ape is far more intelligent and civilized than many posters on this board.

May 4, 2013 at 6:37 pm |

purplepeopleeater

Until the sun supernovas and you all will be ... toast. Until then, just be glad that you aren't purple, 'cause I'm the one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater and looking for purple people to eat.

I am surprised that they don't seem to include people who's skin color changes. The more these people's skin is exposed to the sun, the darker their skin pigment becomes. We call such, a "sun tan". It doesn't take generations to change skin color, just a few days.

OK, here we go with the same old tired racial BS about how so-called Euro-types can think better than Afro-types, (but not better than Asia-types,) because some morons at the beginning of the last century thought women from the Caucasus region were the most beautiful broads in the world. Whereupon those Euro-types started calling themselves Caucasians and blah blah blah. I am extracted from Euro-types, and I an NOT white, but kind of a tan-beige. So screw you, white and black haters.

May 4, 2013 at 7:38 pm |

gargengirl

Who are the top scientists and mathematicians in the world today? People from Africa and Asia for the most part. Hardly any white Americans. I'm white American and I know we have as much potential as anyone else but our education system can't compete with what happens in other countries right now. Without foreign students even our colleges would have far fewer top scientists and mathematicians. It isn't a race thing.

May 4, 2013 at 10:23 pm |

Mickey

Girls are hot.

May 4, 2013 at 6:21 pm |

Brenda

She's hot. Like a gal with high cheek bones.

May 4, 2013 at 6:21 pm |

greg

Unimportant!

May 4, 2013 at 6:17 pm |

Not with stupid

Yeah, learning is dumb!

May 4, 2013 at 6:19 pm |

greg

Yeah. Learn to boil your feet, idiot!

May 4, 2013 at 6:21 pm |

Mo

Greg don't need no learning, he gonna be a rapper. You'll see! You'll all see. Greg's got his grade 5, he'll be just fine. hyuk hyuk.

May 4, 2013 at 6:26 pm |

lancesackless

I like fiction as much as the next guy...but it's not learning.

May 4, 2013 at 6:30 pm |

Ralph N

Greg. You are right on.

May 4, 2013 at 6:29 pm |

chacha

Rah Rah Rah! Let's all argue about evolution and God and all that.
Go!

May 4, 2013 at 6:16 pm |

bob loblaw

God is a fable. We're science. My belief is better than yours.
Take that!

May 4, 2013 at 6:18 pm |

Ralph N

Myth: A scientific theory such as evolution and big bang. Truth: God lives

May 4, 2013 at 6:30 pm |

ThinkAgain

The most important point is that we're all human – and if you can't celebrate the variety and beauty of differing skins colors, then I feel sorry for you.

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